Perinatal PTSD in moms in Arkansas: See if Written Exposure Therapy helps via telehealth
Official title: Screening & TReatment fOr Perinatal WomeN With PTSD in Substance Use Care SettinGs in Arkansas (STRONG Moms)
Run by University of Arkansas · NCT07759882 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether a brief telehealth PTSD therapy called Written Exposure Therapy can be feasibly offered to pregnant or recent-partum individuals in substance-use care in Arkansas.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Arkansas Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Little Rock, Arkansas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | August 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07759882 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Pregnant or up to 6 months postpartum individuals with a history of substance misuse, exposure to trauma, and probable PTSD symptoms who can write and speak English and consent to participation.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals without trauma exposure or PTSD symptoms, or those unable to participate in telehealth, may not benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project has two parts: first, it screens pregnant and postpartum patients in substance-use treatment across multiple Arkansas settings to estimate how common probable PTSD is and whether patients would be willing to receive trauma-focused care during perinatal treatment. Second, those with PTSD symptoms participate in a single-arm pilot of Written Exposure Therapy delivered by telehealth to assess feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary symptom changes. The trial uses a mixed-methods approach to measure recruitment, enrollment, retention, and changes in PTSD and depressive symptoms before and after therapy. It aims to inform future larger studies and care integration in perinatal substance-use services.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a practical, remote PTSD treatment option for perinatal individuals in substance-use care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior evidence supports Written Exposure Therapy as a brief PTSD treatment; this study applies it to a perinatal, telehealth context in Arkansas, which is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Able to write, understand, and speak English * Able to give informed consent * Currently pregnant or postpartum (≤ 6 months after childbirth) * History of substance misuse * Receiving services for substance-use related problems * Have a history of traumatic event exposure * Endorse clinically significant PTSD symptoms (score ≥ 3 on the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5; PC-PTSD-5) Exclusion Criteria: * Unwilling to provide consent * No history of Criterion A trauma exposure or clinically significant PTSD symptoms * No history of substance misuse or currently receiving services for a substance-use related problem
Where it's running
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University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Mollee K Steely Smith, PhD — University of Arkansas
- Study coordinator: Mollee K. Steely Smith K Assistant Professor, PhD
- Email: mksteelysmith@uams.edu
- Phone: 501-526-8174
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Early postpartum treatments to reduce PTSD: written exposure versus capnometry-guided breathing
This project tests whether written exposure therapy or capnometry-guided breathing can reduce PTSD symptoms in new mothers after a traumatic childbirth.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.